The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1887-04-28
The School Term Once More.

A fe-Z more words in regard to
that "school term question:" and NE
are done with it. The free school is
fact in our State, no matter how in-S
effective it may be. It is our dnty
then to do the best we can. -
The Observer has narrowed the
question down to this: Is the Con- !,
stltution Of the State to be obeyed p
'Mr. Kibler,'' says the Observer, s.fa.
vors disobeying the Constitution.
The Observer does not. That seems
to be the only point of difference be-
tween u.s.
We don: doubt his loyalty to tie
State. for never should an editors
patriotism be questioned. Those Of
US, however, who sometimes err, dc
it unknowingly,, and even unthought-
edly. In sincerity, we do not think
that the Observer means to question :
any ones loyalty to his State and the Z
powers that be, but simply makes
these remarks to express the more
forcibly the point at issue.
That the State Constitution says
that the free public school shall be
kept upon six months at least in the
year is a fact unquestioned.
The question arises here, can a.
State make a law and at the same
time not make the proper provision
for the execution of that law? Snp-
pose that a new Office is created
which requires the entire time of one
man to perform its duties, and that
very little money is appropriated to- 3
pay for the services of the officer, can
the man be made to serve anyhow,
and must the Office be kept open
Certainly not; The State aboIshes
that Office practically when it fails 70
provide for the payment Of a reason
able salary to the o6dce.holder. eve
should not mention Office, for. this
is one thing which seems to fascinate
man, and for the discharging of the
duties Of which they are wiling to
take their pay in glory.)
Again let US take free school to
Illustrate the point. Suppose that
the teacher of a school gets $50 from
the public fund, can hebe expected to-
keep the school open for sigmo,aths.
at least ? BY no means. Tie State
does not require this of him.
Just as soon as the State faiIssto
appropriate a reasonable amount for.
the payment Of the teacher, it then,
for the time being, by its OWN action
nulliies its own law. It has acted
in bad faith towards one of it's citii-
Zens. :
Sec. 6, Art. 10, of the Constitution
says: "Within FIVE years after the
first regular session Of the General
Assembly following the adoption
of this constitution, it shall be the
duty of the General Assembly to pro-.
vide for the establishment and sup
port of a normal school which shall
be open to all persons who may wish
to become teachers" Has that school.
ever been established? No.
It has been twenty years nearly
since the adoption Of The presensa
State Constitution, and still we dis.
obey our States mandates. Whose.
fault is it? Nobody's. Why /? Be-
cause the Legislature has not -st
! thought it expedient to appropriate
money for establishing that school.
Section 10, Art. 10. of the same
constitution says: "All public schools,
colleges, and universities supported
in whole or in part by the public
funds shall be free and open to all
children of the State, without regard
to race or color
Suppose there is school establish
ed in community for white chill.
dren. There is no colored school
in the neighborhood, yet there are as
| few colored children for whom it
is not..advisahe to establish a school
Are they to go to the same school
that the white children 60 TO-? No.
ANY white man rather than permit
this would disobey the law.
The two questions that the G5sers
ger asks are yet to be answered.
1st. Does the State require q free
school to be kept open at least,sixs
months? We answer, yes. It fails
to provide however for the execution
Of its own requirement which in con-s
sequence becomes dead letter. - -
2ud. Should the constitution be-
obeved ? Yes, in so far as the righGS